Overseas passengers transferring at London Heathrow would require an ETA
Credit score: Shutterstock: Andy Soloman
At the moment, the UK requires an Digital Journey Authorisation, also called an ETA to be accomplished by anybody coming into the nation from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Nonetheless, in an analogous vein to the Schengen ETIAS, that can change subsequent 12 months, as worldwide and European travellers may also require the doc. Actually, the one guests who won’t want an ETA will probably be British and Irish residents, or those that have already got an eVisa.
Non-European travellers would require an Digital Journey Authorisation from January 2025
The brand new rules are being launched in phases to minimise disruption. Ranging from January 8 2025, non-European guests might want to acquire an Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) earlier than their arrival. Due to this fact, to make it simpler, purposes for an ETA will probably be accepted from any of the next nations with impact from November 27 2024:
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area (together with British nationwide abroad), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macao Particular Administrative Area, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated State of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan*, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, United States, and Uruguay.
*In case you have a passport issued by Taiwan that features in it the variety of the identification card issued by the competent authority in Taiwan).
European arrivals would require an Digital Journey Authorisation from April 2025
This requirement for an Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA) will later be prolonged to incorporate European arrivals from April 2 2025. Nonetheless, purposes will probably be accepted from any of the next nations from March 5 2025:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Vatican Metropolis.
ETA will probably be wanted even for transit flights through UK airports
It’s important to keep in mind that acquiring an ETA will nonetheless be needed even for those who’re simply transferring to a different flight through a UK airport.
The UK Digital Journey Authorisation is loosely primarily based on the US ESTA and is intrinsically linked to the holder’s passport through digital means. It can price £10 (€12) to acquire and will probably be legitimate for 2 years or till passport expiry, whichever comes sooner. The ETA will be bought through the UK authorities web site or alternatively by downloading the specialised app which is on the market for each Apple and Android units.
The method would require the applicant to reply a sequence of questions and supply {a photograph}. The UK authorities believes that getting this info previous to journey will assist forestall harmful people, reminiscent of criminals, from coming into the UK. It’s estimated that every utility will take not more than three days to course of, though in actuality it’s hoped that it is going to be a lot faster.
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Additional info will be discovered on the UK authorities web site.